I signed up PinoyTattoos.com for GetSatisfaction a few days ago in an effort to cut down on redundant emails, create transparency with my customers, and cultivate an idea farm.

Get Satisfaction is a direct connection between people and companies that fosters problem-solving, promotes sharing, and builds up relationships. Thousands of companies use this neutral space to support customers, exchange ideas, and get feedback about their products and services. Get Satisfaction is open, transparent, and free. You’re free to ask, free to answer, and free to start a new conversation. Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate: companies, employees, customers — anyone with an opinion, an answer, or something to say.

The GetSatisfaction business model is pretty much taking your business reputation hostage. Not that it’s a bad thing, it’s pretty smart. Yammer and Yelp do something similar. These companies feed the most basic human need, communication with others. No business will be able to stop anyone from talking. They can only try to manage their own reputation. Basically, if a business wants manage their page on the service, they pay. Brilliant.

So far, so good in revamping my customer service process. I just have a few customer email entry points I need to clean up. There’s an order form, photo upload form, tattoo artist directory submission form, and 2 GetSatisfaction widgets. This doesn’t include Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, IM, and etc. Way too much. I have to consolidate all that.